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Dispersed Camping

Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. "Dispersed camping" is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a developed campground. Dispersed camping usually means no toilet facilities or treated water, no fire grates, and no picnic tables or other amenities are provided.

There are extra responsibilities and skills needed for dispersed camping. By applying Leave No Trace...

Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. "Dispersed camping" is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a developed campground. Dispersed camping usually means no toilet facilities or treated water, no fire grates, and no picnic tables or other amenities are provided.

There are extra responsibilities and skills needed for dispersed camping. By applying Leave No Trace practices, you will ensure a safe, clean and positive experience for your family and the environment.

Dispersed Camping Areas

The landscape changes south of Florence, although the most dramatic change, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, is often hidden from view.

The 47-mile long and one-mile wide sandbox has areas designated for bird watching and dune riding. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, more than 31,000 acres, offers a place for everyone. You can camp, arrange a tour, take an exhilarating off-highway vehicle ride, walk along tranquil lakes, forest trails and beaches, and much more.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a destination site, drawing people from around the Northwest and across the country. Highway 38 offers connections to the southern Willamette Valley and the city of Eugene, or on to Roseburg via Highway 138.

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is a special place. One of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world, the stark, mist-shrouded views of dunes, forests, and ocean in such close proximity to one another are rare and hauntingly beautiful. Many plants and animals, including some found in few other places, call this area home. In 1972, Congress designated this 31,500-acre portion of the Siuslaw National Forest as a National Recreation Area in recognition of its unique values. Learn more about the geology of the dunes here.

Adventure and solitude await! Among the tree islands, open dunes, wetlands, and beaches you will find Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) riding (experience it with Google Trekker), hiking, paddling, wildlife viewing, birding, camping, picnicking, sand play - the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area has it all.

Be a Friend to Snowy Plovers! Share the Beach March 15 – September 15

During snowy plover nesting season (March 15 - September 15) we coordinate with Oregon State parks and beachgoers to protect these threatened birds during a very sensitive time. By following nesting season restrictions and sharing the beach, you can help ensure plover chicks survive to adulthood.

Dunes areas from north to south

South Jetty: South Jetty provides day use access to beach and dunes, with separate areas for OHV and non motorized use.

Siltcoos: Along the Siltcoos River are traditional campgrounds and easy trails along the river and to the beach. OHV users will find developed and dispersed camping opportunities.

Oregon Dunes Day Use: Miles from OHV recreation, this area provides exceptional opportunities to explore the dunes on foot.

Saving the Oregon Dunes

In 2014, the Siuslaw National Forest convened a group of stakeholders concerned about the threat to the dunes ecosystem and recreational opportunities due to the rapid spread of invasive species. The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative has since developed a strategy for how to restore the dunes. In 2018, in an effort to raise public awareness, the group released this strategy as a coffee-table book along with a digital version on their companion website, SaveOregonDunes.org. More information on the strategy and what the Forest Service is doing to restore this special place can be found here.

Stagecoach Trailhead provides access to several trails, including the accessible Lagoon trail and the longer Waxmyrtle trail, which meanders through the coastal shore pine forests and along the river to the beach.

OHV users will find a direct sand access campground as well as dispersed OHV Sand Camping available by permit. Please see OHV Rules for Riding before heading out.

For information about accessible recreation opportunities in Pacific Northwest National Forests, visithttp://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r6/accessiblerecreation

A visitor to the Siuslaw National Forest traveling from Tillamook to Newport will find farmland, rolling hills, sand dunes at Sand Lake Recreation Area, and by choosing the Three Cape Scenic Loop, gorgeous headlands with fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean.

Moving inland, the Forest is lush, wet and green. Visitors can hike, camp, picnic or ride their off-highway vehicle. Highway 101, the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, transports travelers from Tillamook to Newport with connecting routes of Highways 22 and 18 to Portland and Salem.